Combing machine



Aug. 30,1927. 1,640,705

.1. JOLLY COMBING MACHINE Filed Nov; 14, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet Q lqvzuroaI I M BY ORNE N 1 J. JOLLY comma HACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1 -ssheets-sheets mum Patented Aug. 30, 1927. Y

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES JOLLY, OE BOLTON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNQR TO WHIT IN MACHINE WORKS, OF

WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF -MASSACHUSETTS. I

COMBING MACHINE.

Application filed November 14, 1925. Serial No. 68,969.

I relative arrangement and general organization ofthe parts of thecombing head, as

. hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims. Referring to the accompanying three sheets of drawings,Fig. 1 is a general cross section of one of the comber heads of amachine embodying my invention, showing the assembled combing headmechanism in elevation and in the rear. or combing position, certainparts being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan'of the principal parts of Fig. 1 the lap feed chuteand creel stand being shown in section. I

Fig. 3 is a section on IIIIII of Fig. '2 through the combing head withcertain parts removed for clarity, and also shows the creel stand andits operating gears and the lapfeed link-motion, in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a section on IV.IV of Fig. 2, showing only the bearing frameand the nipper frame.

Fig. 5 isa section on VV of Fig.2, with the lap-feed mechanism removed,and

Fig. (5 is asection VIVI of Fig. 5.

It will be understood that the illustrated structure constitutes but oneof the combing heads of a cotton combing machine, which may have severalheads all of identical structure and all driven by shafts extendinglengthwiseof'th'e machine, and com mon to all of them. The frame 1represents one of the intermediate frame uprights which'are locatedbetween adjacent heads and form the supports for the longitudinal shaftsreferred to as well as the other parts. The detail of the framing is notof consequence to the present invention, 1101- is this inventionconcerned with the detaching and piecing mechanism, nor the drive-headmechanism which may be "constructed according to the usual Heilmann orNa'smith design. The combing head mechanism comprises, in general, aoscillating ca rriage or bearing frame, nipper mechanism carried thereb'a top comb and lapfeed mechanism. 1 he bearlng' frame iscomposed of across bed Qand two side legs 3which are journalled below the iiippe'rsand preferably on or concentrically with the comb cylinder shaft 4, soas to be capable of moving the nippersconcentrically to the path of thecomb needles. This frame is integrally formed with three pairs ofupright posts, of which the pair marked 5, arethe connection lugs bymeans of which the frame is connected to the rock arms 6 of thelongitudinal rock shaft 7. This shaft will be understood to be common toall the heads in the machine and to be appropriately driven by cam orotherwise, in the drive mechanism at the end of the machine. The lugs orposts 5 are each connected to one of the rock arms 6 by a two-part link,one part of which, marked 8, is an L-shaped memberjointed to the lug 5and receiving the forward threaded end of the other part 9, in aperforation in its offset portion, 10 so that the link, as a whole, isadjustable as to its effective length; this is for the purpose ofvarying the angular relation between the bearing frame and the actuatingrock shaft, and the method of adjustment will be obvious. The off-setend 10 of the link 8 serves as the connection for the nipper framespring 11, later referred to..,

The two posts of the'bearing frame 2-3 which are marked 12, constitutethe support and bearings for the nipper frame and lap feed mechanism,and the two posts, marked 13, are the supports for the arms 14: of thetop comb 15. These top comb. arms are hinged to said posts so that thetop comb may be lifted and swung back as customary, and each arm. isprovided with a lateral car 16 (Fig. 2) carrying a set screw 17, whichis adapted to rest on the heads of the front journal cap bolts of theposts 12 and thereby support the top comb, adjustably,

in its normal or working position. The top comb is thus carried by theoscillating bearing frame 2 3, but its position with reference to theaxis of oscillation is constant, that is'to say, it is not lowered intothe tuft as customary; such comb movement'is not necessary in thepresent case because the tuftlis raised into thetop comb as later :eX-pl'ained. Thedetail of the top comb audits several adjustments will beunderstood from the drawings.

The nipper frame comprises a base .or bed part 18 and two upstandingcheek plates 1.9

rovided with gudgeons "by which it ournalled the posts 12 0f the bearingframe; it is also pro ided with upstanding posts 20, connected at theirupper ends, to the nipper frame springs 11 above referred to. Thetension of these springs tends to rock the nipper frame to the positionindicated in Fig. 3, wherein its rear set screws 21 rest againsttheupper surface of the cross bed 2 of the bearing frame. The nipperframe carries two forwardly located set screws 22, one at each end, thefunction of which is to engage the top surfaces of the side legs 3 ofthe bearing frame to limit the extent to which it may rock in theopposite direction. The cross plate 18 of the nipper frame carries theusual cushion plate, and it will be understood that the adjustment ofthe screws 22 determines the distance of the cushion plate from the pathof the bombing needles on the comb cylinder 23,

while the rear setscrews 21 determinelts position when detaching.

The nipper-knife 2a is carried, a'djustably, on two nipper-knife levers25, each of which is fulcrurned on oneof the posts of the bearing'fl'llDQfilIlCl. preferablyby the same pin which connects the-actuatinglink to saidpost. It will be seen in Fig. 2 that the front and rear armsof the nipper knife levers 25 are off-set; the relation of lever to itsfulcrum post 5- is also shown in F 6. The two rear arms of the leversare thus brought closer together and are connected by a cross rod 26carrying a are bowl 27, which is wiped by a cam 28, adjustably carriedon the rock shaft 7 when the latter swings forwardly to about theposition indicated in Fig. 5, thus opening the nipper jaws, as theyswing forward to the detaching rolls. he adjustment of the cam 28 on therock shaft determines the time of such opening. Whennot engaged with thenip er cam 28, the nipper knife is held closed on the cushion plate bythe two upper springs 29, whicn depress the nipper frame and cushionplate until the forward set screws 22 find their predetermined bearingon the bearing frame 8. The nipper springs are connected to the crossrod26 between the rear arms of the nipper levers and to brackets 29 fixedon a'rod supported in the creel stand. Vfhen the -.nipper knife has beenopened by the operation of the nipper cam 28, as just described, thenipper frame springs 11 rock the nipper frame until the rearward setscrews 21 engage the cross member 2 of the bearing frame, as abovedescribedr Thus one'set of springs operates to oscillate the nipperframe in one direction and another'set in the opposite direction. It maybe noted here that the two jaws of the nipper mechanism, that is, thecushion-plate and the nipper knife, are not ooaxially pivotedasoustomary; the cushion plate, being secured on the bed 18 of thenipper frame, oscillates about the axis of the gudgeon' bearings 12 onthe frame 2'3 whereas the nipper knife oscillates about the axis of thefulcrum pin in the lug 5 on the frame 23, which axis is in rear of thegudgeon axis.

tuft into the comb cylinder needles and one ofthe features of thisinvention. *Tt will be observed further that the use of a moring member,such as the cam 28, as the means for controlling the nipper-s eliminatesthe back bar and other appurtenant frame parts which have heretoforebeen common in swinging nipper frame combers and thus simplifies theapparatus.

The lap feed roller 30 is removably supported and pressed down upon thtop of the cushion plate by a pair-of lap feed roll levers 31, which areadjustably fulcrumed 32 in slots in the nipper frame posts 20. The feedroll thus swings with the nipper frame. The rear ends of the levers 31are connected to the feed rollsprings 33 and the upper ends of thelatter are connected to the mp per frame posts 20 on the opposite sidefrom the nipper frame springs 11.. The end of the feed roller 30,right-hand in Fig.2, is provided with the usual ratchet box, conta n;ing a ratchet wheel and pawl and pro. l with a lever 34c, which is dachably ccn-- nected to a feed link 35, shown more clearly in Fig. 3. Ithas heretofore been customary to actuate the ratchet box, such S l, bymeans of a link, suchas the link .35, which is attached at its rearendto a fixed part of the machine framing, so that as the feed rolladvances to the detaching rolls, the lever 34 is held and therebyrotate'sthe feed roll to feed the lap forwardly. According tothe presentinvention, the feed link moves in phase with the oscillating nippermechanism and in the same direction but at a lesser or different rate ofmovement, so that the amount of rotation thereby imparted to the feedroll is the differential of such movements. For this purpose, the

rear end of the feed link is pivoted, ad

justably, to an arm 36 on a lay rock shaft 37 ournalled 1n thecreelstand and provided, at one end of the machine, with a crank arm 33, bywhich itis rocked. This latter arm is adjustably connected to, androcked by, a link connection 39 with the pawl arm 4:0'of the creel-feedbell-crank 40- 41. This bell crank is driven from the main rock shaft7'by a link 42 connecting its arm 1-1 with the creeldrive arm a3 on saidshaft.

The oscillation of thebell-crank 404a, im-

parted through the pawl and'ratchet wheel to the creel gears 44,intermittently rotates the creel rollers e5 soas to unwind the la") fromthe supply roll resting thereon. The organization of this creel-feed iswell known and will be clear enough from the drawing, and it maybesubstituted by other forms of feed, according to preference, The

This helps in directing the rocking movement of the creel feed bellcrank-.4041 rocks the lay rock shaft 37 so as to advance the lap feedlinkat the same time as the nippers and feed roll are advanced by therock shaft arms 6, but the 'rate' or extent to which the link is ad-- Yvanced depends upon its own position on,

the arm 86' andupon the position of the link rod 39 on the crank arm 38.These positions can be changed to give any desired differential movementof the feed roll, as will be evident, and in practice the feed link 35of each combing head is. permanently set on its arm 36 and adjustment ofthe lap feed of all the heads is thenmade simultaneouslyin all headsbychanging the'position. of the link 39 on the crank arm 38. Thisadjustment iseas'ily and quickly made and the adjustment of thecreel-feed can be easily accommodated to it, by varying the position oflink 42 on the bell crank.

The lap feed apron 46 is made in two sections hinged at 47, in order toaccommodate the movement ofthe combing head mechanism relative to thecreel stand; it is supported at its upperend on the creel rock shaft 37and at its lower end on a small cross rod 48 (Fig. 3), carried by thelap feed roll levers 31. these supports. e

The operation of the creel and combing head mechanism, meaning therebythe top comb, nipper-s and feed roll, is produced en- 7 tirely by themain rockjshaft 7 When this shaft draws the bearm'g frame 23 to therearward po'sitionof .Fig. l, which is the cylinder-combing position,the nipper cam has parted from the cam bowl 27 and the nipper knifesprings 29 then hold the nipper knife 24 closed against the tuft on thecushion plate and the nipper frame depressed to its lowest position.Whenthe needle half lap has passedfrom the tuft, the rock shaft swingsthe bearing frame toward the detaching and piecing rolls, andco-inci'dently, the lap feed. roll revolves to feed the lap and almostimmediately thereafter the nipper cam 28 engages the bowl 27 and therebyrelieves the spring pressure of the springs 29, on the nipper knife.This allows the nipper frame to swing the combed tuft to its elevatedposition as the effect of the springs 11, and immediately thereafter thenipper knife opens as indicated in Fig. 5. In this position, the tuft isentered into the bite of the detaching rolls and then drawn ofl throughthe teeth of the top comb in the familiar manner; on the return movementof the parts the action is of course reversed except that the lap feedroll remains stationary and the pawl rides over the ratchet teeth.

The following is claimed: 1. In a comber, the combination of anoscillating bearing frame, means for 0scil1ating saidframe, a nipperframe pivoted on The apron is removable from frame, and a nipper framecarrying the cushion plate and lap feed means and pivotally mounted in.the bearing frame, in combination with. a nipper knife fulcrumed on the.bearing frameon an axis eccentric to the pivotal axislofthe' nipperframe. I I 4. In a comber, the combination of an oscillating bearingframe, an oscillating nipper, frame and cushion plate pivotally mountedtherein, a nipper knife fulcrumed on the bearingfran'ie and adapted tooscillate. said n'ipperframe, a top comb pivoted onthe' bearing frameand normally held in fixed relation'thereto', and a shaft foroscillating said bearing frame and nipper knife. 5.,In a bomber,thejcombination of an oscillating bearing frame, an oscillating nipperframe pivotally mounted therein, a nipper knife and top comb separatelypivoted on the bearing frame, a rock shaft for OSCIL- lating saidbearing frameand meanson said shaft for operating said nipper knife. I6. In a comber, the combination of an oscillating frame, a nipper knifeand nipper levers carried'thereby, and amoving mem ber engaged by saidlevers on the forward swing 'of said frame for operating said nipperknife. v v

'(aIn a comber, an I oscillating combing head structure" including anipper knife lever, a shaft to oscillate said structure and a camcarried by said shaft for operating said lever.

8. In a comber, an oscillating combing head mechanism including anipper. knife lever, a rock shaft to oscillate said mechanism, a camcarried by said rock shaft for operating said lever, and means to adjustsaid cam to vary the time of operation thereof.

v 9. In a comber, thecombination of a comb .sha-ft, a bearing framemounted to oscillate lilll a lap feed roll, an intermittent creel feed,and means whereby said creel feed operates said lap feed roll. I

11. In a multi-head comber, the combination of oscillating bearingframes carrying nippers and lap-feed rolls, of means for simultaneouslyadjusting the extent of rotation of said feed rolls.

12- In a comber, an oscillating comber head structure including lap feedmechanism, a shaft for oscillating said structure and a lay shaftcontrolling the rotation of said feed mechanism.

13. in a 'multi-head comber, oscillating combing mechanism includinglap-feed rolls, a rock shaft connected to said rolls for operating thesame and means for varying the rotation of said rock shaft independentlyof said oscillating mechanism.

i i. In a comber, the combination of oscillating combing mechanismincluding alap feed roll, a creel roler, means for oscillating saidmechanism and intermittently advancing said roller, and an operatingconnection between said means and said lap feed roll. r f

15. In a comber, the combination of oscillating combing head mechanismincluding a lap feet roll, an actuating rock shaft therefor. a creelroller, connections whereby said roller is operated by said rock shaftand means whereby said connections control the operation of said lapfeed roll.

'16. In a comber, an oscillating comber head mechanism including aratchet-driven lap feed roll, an intermittent creel feed including arock shaft, and means for adjustably connecting said creel rock shaft tothe ratchet arm of said lap feed roll.

17. In a comber, an oscillating comber head. mechanism including aratchet-driven lap feed roll, a main rock shaft to oscillate saidmechanism, a creel feed having a rock shaft operated by said main rockshaft, and a connecting rod between said creel rock shaft and theratchet arm of said lap feed roll. 7 I 1 18. In a comber, a main rockshaft, operating connections therefrom to an oscillating comber headmechanism which includes a lap feed roll and to the creel feed, andmeans whereby the creel feed controlsthe rotation of said lap feed roll.

19. In a comber of the kind described, the combination with the combshaft, a bearing frame mounted to oscillate about the axis thereof, andmeans for oscillating said frame, of a top comb, nipper frame and nipperknife each pivoted on said bean ing frame and a lap feed roll carried onthenipper frame. v

2O- In a com'ber'of the kind, described, the combination with anoscillating bearing frame, of a nipper frame and nipper knife leverseparately and directly pivoted thereto, an actuating shaft, and meanswhereby said shaft oscillates said bearing frame andindependentlyoperates said nipper knife lever. I

'21. In a comber of the kind described, the combination with the combshaft, an oscillating bearing frame, of v a nipper frame and nipperknife levers carried by said bearing frame and a shaft for oscilsaidbearing frame and directly opting said lever.

In a comber, an oscillating frame carrying lap-feed means, nipper knifelever and top comb, and a rock shaft provided 't means for oscillatingsaid frame and iirectly operating said nipper knife lever.

In a comber, a nipper frame oscillat mg toward and from the detach ngrolls,

a nipper knife coacting with said frame, nipper knife levers supportingsaid knife, said levers being closer together at the rear of the framethan at their point of'connections to the nipper knife: a cross rod conmeeting the rear ends of saidlevers and means in rear of said nipperframe for actuating saidnipper knife levers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

7 JAMES JOLLY. 1 I

